Portable fence.



Patented July 25, |999. J. c. SIMMONS. PORTABLE FENCE.

(Application Bled Jan. 10, 1899.) NO Model.)

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PNITED STATES PATENT Enron.

JOSEPH O. SIMMONS, OF MARTINSVILLE, OHIO.

PORTABLE FENCE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 629,529, dated July 25, 1899.

Application filed January 10, 1899. Serial No. 701,773. (No model.)

T0 all whom t may concer-1e:

Beit known. that I, JOSEPH C. SIMMONS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Martinsville, in the county of Clinton and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Portable Fence, of which the following is a speciication.

This invention relates to improvements in portable fences.

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction of fences and to provide a portable one which will be simple, inexpensive, strong, and durable and adapted to be readily arranged to suit the surface of the ground.

A further object of the invention is to provide a fence of this character which may be quickly erected on level or hilly ground and which may be readily taken down when it is desired to move it.

The invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a fence constructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. -2 is a transverse sectional View. Fig. 3 is an enlarged det-ail perspective view of one of the fastening devices for connecting the panels of the fence.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding partsin all the figures of the drawings.

1 and 2 designate fence-panels detachably connected by means of eyebolts 3 and rigid hooks 4, which permit the panels to conform to the configuration of the ground, as illustrated in Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings, so that the fence may be readily erected on level or hilly surfaces. The panel 1 is composed of horizontal rails and vertical bars pivotally connected by bolts 5 or other suitable fastening devices and adapted to be adj usted to arrange the rails in a true horizontal position or at a slight inclination. Instead of employing horizontal rails the panels may be provided with fence-wires 6 and 7, the wires 6 being preferably heavier than the wires 7 and arranged at the top and bottom of the fence, and these top and bottom wires or rods may be provided with eyes to receive the pivot-bolts 8. The intermediate fence-wires 7 may be stapled or otherwise secured to the vertical bars, and they will readily yield to any adjustment of the parts.

The panels are secured at the desired adjustment by diagonal braces 9, disposed at an inclination and pivoted at their upperends to the tops of the panels, as shown, and each` brace is provided at its lower end with a longitudinal slot 10, receiving a clamping device l1, preferably consisting of a bolt and nut and a pair of Washers fitting against the inner and outer faces of the brace. By this construction the panels may be readily clamped at any desired adjustment and may be quickly arrangedv to suit the character of the ground.

The eyebolts 3 are retained in engagement with the rigid hooks Il by a latch 12, consisting of a pivoted hook located above the shank of the rigid hook and extending downward into the eye of the bolt 3. The latch, which is preferably constructed of wire,has its shank coiled to form an eye, and the end 13 of the shank is extended and engages the fence, whereby the hook proper is rendered resilient and is adapted to engage the eyebolt with a spring action. The latch maybe readily disengaged from the eyebolt, and it is preferably arranged only at the top of the fence, as shown. The vertical arm. of the rigid hook extends through the eye of the bolt 3 and projects a considerable distance above the same, and the arm of the resilient hook dependsfrom the shank and extends through the said eyebolt, and when it is in engagement with the same there is no liability of the panelsbecoming accidentally separated.

The bottom bar of the panel 1 is provided with an extension 14, which is supported upon a transverse bar or sill 15, arranged upon the surface of the ground and provided with a central recess 16 at its upper edge to forln a seat for the extension 14 of the panel. ends of the transverse bar or sill are perforated to receive a wire brace 17, which extends from the transverse bar or sill to the adjacent end of the panel, near the center thereof, as clearly shown in Fig. 2 ofthe accompanying drawings, and the apex of the wire brace is arranged on a horizontal bolt 18 between washers 19 and 20. The nut 2l of the bolt The enables the wire brace to be readily adjusted to vary the length of either of its sides for arranging the transverse .bar or sill at an angle to t the surface of the ground, whereby the fence is firmly supported in an upright position. The ends of the wire brace areanchored in the ground by means of stakes 22; but any other suitable fastening devices may be provided. The bolt 1S is arranged in the space between the end bars of the panel, and when it is desired to take down the fence the bolt is loosened for releasing the bracin g-wire, and the panel may be readily removed from the transverse bar or sill.

The invention has the following advantages: The fence, which is simple and comparatively inexpensive in construction, is portable and adapted to be readily arranged with its panels in a horizontal or a slightly-` inclined-position to coliform to the configura-` tion of the surface of the ground, and the detachable connection between the panels enables the free adjustment of the same to be obtained Without accidentally disconnecting them. The fence may be readily erected and taken down, and the transverse bar or sill may be arranged in a horizontal position or at an inclination, and the inclined brace retains the same at any desired adjustment.

Changes in the form, proportion, and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacriiicing any of the advantages of this invention.

l. A fence comp-rising adjustable panels, and a connecting device consisting of an eye mounted o'n one oi the panels, a rigid hook mounted on the adjacent panel and having a vertical arm extending through the said eye, and a latch mounted on the panel having a hook and extending into the eye and retaining the same in engagement with the hook, substantially as described.

2. A fence comprisingadjustable panels, and a connecting device consisting of an eye mounted on one of the panels, a rigid hook secured to the adjacent panel and having a vertical arm extending through the said eye, and a latch consisting of a resilient hook mounted on the panel having the rigid hook, and having a depending arm extending through the eye and retaining the same in engagement with the rigid hook, substantially as described. l

3. In a fence, the combination of a panel having parallel end bars, a transverse bar havL ing a seat to receive the same, a continuous adjustable Wire brace connecting the ends of the transverse bar with the panel, and a clamping` device mounted on the latter and comprising a bolt adjustably mounted between the parallel end bars of the panel, and washers arranged on the bolt and engaging the brace, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aiixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JOSEPH C. SIMMONEL lVitnesses:

TURNER W. SIMMONS, A. B. SPENCER. 

